A mugger who robbed a man and then told him a sniper would follow him in case he called the gardaí has been sentenced to five years with the final two years suspended.

Michael Doran (29) was sentenced today for a string of offences which also included mugging a man and then stealing his wife's car three days later.

Doran of Kilcross Road, Sandyford, Dublin plead guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two robberies, one hijacking, one car theft and one theft of car keys at various locations in the Dundrum area of south Dublin between March 12 and 25, 2009.

Doran, who has 11 previous convictions, was due to stand trial in 2010 but a warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to show. It was later discovered that he was in prison in the UK for helping to steal a car. He was brought back to Ireland last month after completing a four year sentence in England.

The court heard that in the early hours of March 12, 2009 David Morgan was coming home from a night out. Doran approached him, took out a knife and told him to keep his voice down.

Doran put the knife to Mr Morgan's chest and said “you don't want this inside you, do you?” The victim handed over his ATM card and €10 in change. He also gave Doran his PIN.

Doran then apologised for his actions and showed Mr Morgan his scars which he said he got in prison. He then told the victim his name and said he was well known in the area.

He promised to only take out between €10 and €30 using the ATM card and said that he would cut it up and throw it away afterwards. He then told the victim that his friend was in a nearby car with a sniper rifle and that he would follow Mr Morgan to ensure he wouldn't call the gardaí.

Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five year sentence but suspended the final two years in light of Doran's efforts to rehabilitate himself and the amount of time he spent in prison in the UK.

Sergeant Robert O'Keeffe told Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, that Doran was one of two men who mugged Paul Caffrey in Dundrum late at night. One of the men put a knife to Mr Caffrey's chest before they escaped with €5 and a set of car keys.

Three days later the victim's wife, Caroline Caffrey, came down in the morning to find her car had been stolen in the night using the stolen keys.

Doran was also sentenced for being part of a group of males who hijacked the car of a pizza delivery man in the Wedgeworth area of Dundrum. One of the men had a knife and the victim was struck in the face during the incident.

Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC said Doran's crimes were motivated by his drug addiction but that he was now addressing this.

Appealing for leniency, counsel said Doran was living a “deeply dysfunctional life at the time” but that, given the chance, he may now “become a decent and constructive member of society”.